MCAT Biology › Nervous System and Nervous Tissue
Which of the following is a correct description of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are divisions of the autonomic system.
Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are divisions of the somatic system.
The sympathetic system is a division of the autonomic system, while the parasympathetic system falls under the somatic system.
The sympathetic system is a division of the somatic system, while the parasympathetic system falls under the autonomic system.
The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems derive from both the somatic and autonomic systems.
The sympathetic (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems control bodily processes that are involuntary, or autonomic. Somatic refers to voluntary actions, which are not controlled by either the sympathetic or parasympathetic systems.
Which of the following glial cells produces cerebrospinal fluid?
Ependymal cells
Microglia
Astrocytes
Satellite cells
Oligodendrocytes
Ependymal cells, which line cerebral cavities and the central canal, produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is a colorless liquid that protects the brain and spinal cord against injury.
Microglia protect the central nervous system from microbes and debris of injured cells. Astrocytes, located in the central nervous system, provide structural support for neurons in addition to many other tasks involving nutrient and ion regulation. Oligodrendrocytes produce the myelin sheath around the axons of the central nervous system. Satellite cells are not found in the central nervous system, and therefore cannot produce CSF.
Which of the following describes the difference between oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells?
Oligodendrocytes myelinate the central nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the peripheral nervous system
Oligodendrocytes myelinate the peripheral nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the central nervous system
Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cell myelinate different structures of the neuron
Both cell types insulate the axons of cells, but use different insulating materials
Schwann cells can mylinate multiple axons, while oligodendrocytes can only myelinate one axon per cell
Both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are responsible for myelinating axons in order to increase the transmission rate of signals between neurons. The primary difference is their location. Oligodendrocytes myelinate the central nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the peripheral nervous system. Oligodendrocytes are also capable of myelinating multiple axons, while Schwann cells can only myelinate one axon per cell.
Which of the following is a correct description of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?
Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are divisions of the autonomic system.
Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are divisions of the somatic system.
The sympathetic system is a division of the autonomic system, while the parasympathetic system falls under the somatic system.
The sympathetic system is a division of the somatic system, while the parasympathetic system falls under the autonomic system.
The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems derive from both the somatic and autonomic systems.
The sympathetic (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems control bodily processes that are involuntary, or autonomic. Somatic refers to voluntary actions, which are not controlled by either the sympathetic or parasympathetic systems.
Which of the following explains why there is a blind spot in the eye?
This is the location where the optic nerve exits the eye
This is the location where there are no rods
This is the location where there are no cones
This is the location where the lens of the eye is not transparent
This is the location where the retina does not focus light
The optic nerve collects stimuli from the retina and exits through the back of the eye to relay the information to the occipital lobe of the cerebrum. The point at which the optic nerve exits the eye contains no photoreceptors (rods and cones), and is unable to interpret light signals. This leads to a blind spot in the eye at the optic disk.
The brain is a very delicate structure with little room to move around. Surrounding the brain and the spinal cord are three protective layers in addition to the skull and the vertebral column. Directly surrounding the brain and spinal cord is the pia mater. Following the pia mater is the arachnoid mater. Between the pia mater and the arachnoid mater is the sub-arachnoid space where the cerebrospinal fluid circulates. Finally, the protective layer is the dura mater is loosely attached to the arachnoid mater but is strongly associated with the skull bone.
Depending on the type of injury, a certain type of vein and/or artery are more susceptible to injury. For example, the meningeal artery and vein run through the foramen spinosum and travel between the two layers making up the dura mater. As the artery and the vein are traveling in between the dura mater, there is a vulnerable region at the temple. A strike to the temple region could rupture these vessels and result in a epidural hematoma.
Traveling from the cerebral cortex to the venous dural sinus (located at certain regions between the two layers of the dura mater) is the cerebral vein. When an injury results in the dura mater shifting away from the arachnoid mater, the cerebral vein could rupture and lead to a subdural hematoma.
A hematoma that affects both the brain and spinal cord could affect which part of the nervous system?
I. Sympathetic nervous system
II. Parasympathetic nervous system
III. Enteric nervous system
I, II, and III
I only
III only
III only
I and II only
The brain and the spinal cord makes up the Central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is broken down into the sympathetic and the parasympathetic branches. The enteric nervous system (nervous system innervating the digestive tract) is a portion of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Which of the following describes the difference between oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells?
Oligodendrocytes myelinate the central nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the peripheral nervous system
Oligodendrocytes myelinate the peripheral nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the central nervous system
Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cell myelinate different structures of the neuron
Both cell types insulate the axons of cells, but use different insulating materials
Schwann cells can mylinate multiple axons, while oligodendrocytes can only myelinate one axon per cell
Both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are responsible for myelinating axons in order to increase the transmission rate of signals between neurons. The primary difference is their location. Oligodendrocytes myelinate the central nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the peripheral nervous system. Oligodendrocytes are also capable of myelinating multiple axons, while Schwann cells can only myelinate one axon per cell.
Which of the following glial cells produces cerebrospinal fluid?
Ependymal cells
Microglia
Astrocytes
Satellite cells
Oligodendrocytes
Ependymal cells, which line cerebral cavities and the central canal, produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is a colorless liquid that protects the brain and spinal cord against injury.
Microglia protect the central nervous system from microbes and debris of injured cells. Astrocytes, located in the central nervous system, provide structural support for neurons in addition to many other tasks involving nutrient and ion regulation. Oligodrendrocytes produce the myelin sheath around the axons of the central nervous system. Satellite cells are not found in the central nervous system, and therefore cannot produce CSF.
Which of the following describes the difference between oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells?
Oligodendrocytes myelinate the central nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the peripheral nervous system
Oligodendrocytes myelinate the peripheral nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the central nervous system
Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cell myelinate different structures of the neuron
Both cell types insulate the axons of cells, but use different insulating materials
Schwann cells can mylinate multiple axons, while oligodendrocytes can only myelinate one axon per cell
Both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are responsible for myelinating axons in order to increase the transmission rate of signals between neurons. The primary difference is their location. Oligodendrocytes myelinate the central nervous system, while Schwann cells myelinate the peripheral nervous system. Oligodendrocytes are also capable of myelinating multiple axons, while Schwann cells can only myelinate one axon per cell.
The brain is a very delicate structure with little room to move around. Surrounding the brain and the spinal cord are three protective layers in addition to the skull and the vertebral column. Directly surrounding the brain and spinal cord is the pia mater. Following the pia mater is the arachnoid mater. Between the pia mater and the arachnoid mater is the sub-arachnoid space where the cerebrospinal fluid circulates. Finally, the protective layer is the dura mater is loosely attached to the arachnoid mater but is strongly associated with the skull bone.
Depending on the type of injury, a certain type of vein and/or artery are more susceptible to injury. For example, the meningeal artery and vein run through the foramen spinosum and travel between the two layers making up the dura mater. As the artery and the vein are traveling in between the dura mater, there is a vulnerable region at the temple. A strike to the temple region could rupture these vessels and result in a epidural hematoma.
Traveling from the cerebral cortex to the venous dural sinus (located at certain regions between the two layers of the dura mater) is the cerebral vein. When an injury results in the dura mater shifting away from the arachnoid mater, the cerebral vein could rupture and lead to a subdural hematoma.
A hematoma that affects both the brain and spinal cord could affect which part of the nervous system?
I. Sympathetic nervous system
II. Parasympathetic nervous system
III. Enteric nervous system
I, II, and III
I only
III only
III only
I and II only
The brain and the spinal cord makes up the Central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is broken down into the sympathetic and the parasympathetic branches. The enteric nervous system (nervous system innervating the digestive tract) is a portion of the parasympathetic nervous system.